MANILA, Philippines — The government's COVID-19 task force is easing venue capacity restrictions for workshops, trainings, seminars and other related events in areas under general community quarantine.
This was confirmed by presidential spokesman Harry Roque in a statement released Friday morning.
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According to Roque, who is also spokesman for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the following events will be allowed to fill up to 30% of venue capacity in GCQ areas:
- workshops
- trainings
- seminars
- congresses
- conferences
- board meetings
- colloquia
- conclaves
- symposia
- consumer trade shows
"Venues include restaurants, in general; restaurants attached to hotels; ballrooms and function halls within hotels; venues within hotel premises; and mall atria," Roque said.
He added that the Department of Tourism and the Department of Trade and Industry have been directed to jointly issue the necessary guidelines.
The government's latest iteration of GCQ allows business establishments to operate at 100-percent capacity while venue capacity in places of worship is capped at 30%.
Other establishments such as gyms, internet cafes, tutorial centers, and dermatological clinics may operate at 75% of capacity.
Metro Manila, Batangas, Lanao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Iligan City and Davao City are currently under GCQ. The rest of the country is under a more relaxed modified GCQ.
It has been 264 days since parts of the country were first placed under lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. — Bella Perez-Rubio